Eric Sogard is a winner at 'Survivor: Oakland’

Updated 11:11 pm, Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Eric Sogard is the only A’s infielder still around from Oakland’s 2014 Opening Night roster.

Eric Sogard is the only A’s infielder still around from Oakland’s 2014 Opening Night roster.

Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle

Eric Sogard is a winner at 'Survivor: Oakland’

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MESA, Ariz. — Two spring trainings ago, Eric Sogard made a bunch of headlines because he swung his bat like Ted Williams, miraculously hitting .444 in exhibitions. Last spring, Sogard was back in the headlines, miraculously advancing to the final round of the Internet-charged “Face of MLB” contest.

This year, he’s the only infielder from the season-opening 2014 roster still on the team.

Not exactly miraculous — but a sign that he remains an asset in the wake of Billy Beane’s offseason wheeling and dealing. Either that or Sogard simply wouldn’t have attracted much in return.

“They could’ve dealt me. They don’t have a problem doing that,” he said with a chuckle. That he avoided the transaction wire, “I see that as a positive thing for me.”

Sogard had a rough first half last year but was one of the few A’s hitters who picked up his game in the second half, making a starting job at second base in 2015 seem realistic. But the A’s acquired Ben Zobrist from Tampa Bay on Jan. 10, making Sogard a reserve middle infielder.

Then again, injured right fielder Josh Reddick is questionable for the season opener, and manager Bob Melvin said he’d consider playing Zobrist in right and the lefty-swinging Sogard at second when the opposing starting pitcher is right-handed.

Sogard has made spring training appearances at second and short, and Melvin wants to get him time at third, too.

“Obviously, with this team, we have a lot of options,” said Sogard, noting the roster has several movable parts like last year’s, despite all the changes. “We can play the hot bat.”

Sogard hit .186 before last year’s All-Star break and admits now, “Personally, I needed to turn it around. Otherwise, I don’t think I would’ve been in the big leagues much longer. I had never been in a slump that long.” He rebounded and hit .267 after the break.

Through it all, his sterling defense didn’t waver.

These days, Sogard has been out of the limelight, a far cry from his Face of MLB journey, which seemed to be a daily story. “No craziness this spring,” said Sogard, who welcomed the attention but also welcomed that Sean Doolittle was the team’s Face of MLB candidate this year.

That he finished runner-up to the Mets’ David Wright showed how popular the bespectacled Sogard is among fans. The front office is in his corner, too, having kept him around. It helps that he easily fits into the budget despite playing for the A’s since 2010. He was eligible for arbitration for the first time and makes $1.075 million.

More important, he provides steady defense up the middle and can play for extended stretches if needed. For a team that has many new bodies and still relies on versatility, familiarity can be a virtue.